The event, featuring fine artists and craftsmen, musicians, local chefs and performing artists, will be held on the grounds of the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach and the adjacent Waterfront Park on Canal Road from 10 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 8, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 9.

“We had about 10,000 (people) last year on the grounds and we’re expecting a lot more this year,” said Jessica Jones, marketing and children’s program coordinator at the art center. “We’ve got more than 90 artists, fine arts vendors, that are going to be here, so we have a lot of different mediums that will be on display and we’ll also have some live art demonstrations.”

Festivalgoers will have an opportunity to see a blacksmith and live metal-working demos as well as glass-blowing at the center’s Hot Shop, and ceramics artists at the pottery studio.

“We’ll have local and regional bands, so we’re going to have a variety of music for people to enjoy,” Jones said. “They can grab a bite to eat; they can come and sit in front of the stage near the beautiful water and listen to some great music.”

The lineup has Mobile’s Lisa Zanghi kicking off the music Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. with her adult contemporary style influenced with blues and jazz. Local favorite Brent Burns takes the stage 12:30-1:45 p.m., followed by Birmingham-based, bluegrass-jam band Rollin’ in the Hay from 2-3:15 p.m. Three Bean Soup, a father-daughter guitar and violin duo, hits the stage in the 3:30-4:45 p.m. slot.

Entertainment on Sunday starts Whyte Caps, a young Orange Beach-based rock band, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Roman Street, a well-known Mobile group, plays from 1 to 2:15 p.m. and another local favorite Sugarcane Jane, a husband-and-wife duo, wraps up the festival’s music from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.

At the performing arts stage located at the front of the festival grounds, the crowd will be able to enjoy live performance of “Circus De Luna” and choreography set to Beethoven’s 7th by the Coastal Ballet Academy, directed by Rio Barlow.

“We’ve participated in the festival for the last few years,” Barlow, a former professional ballerina, said in a news release, “and it provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their love of ballet with not only their friends and family but with the community at large. I’m always impressed by the warm reception we receive from the audience and it certainly inspires the dance to give their utmost.”

The performing arts stage schedule is as follows:

Saturday

10-11 a.m. -- Coastal Ballet Academy

11 a.m.-noon -- Gulf Coast Martial Arts

noon-12:30 p.m. -- Dolphin Sound

12:30-1:30 p.m. -- Graceline Dance Studio

1:30-2 p.m. -- Sassy Seniors, dance troupe

2-3 p.m. -- Belly dances

3-3:30 p.m. -- An brock, Irish dancers

3:30-5 p.m. - The Pauls and Riviera Ramblers

Sunday

11 a.m.-noon -- Noon Bay City Improv Co.

noon-2 p.m. -- Vetigo Haze

2-3 p.m. -- Stomp

3-4 p.m. -- Riviera Ramblers

And not to be outdone local restaurants will be exhibiting their culinary artistry near the base of the Waterfront Park pier. Participants include Baumhower’s, Compleat Angler, Bimini Bob’s, Shipp’s Harbour Grill, and Cosmo’s. Plates will range from $4 to $9 for each selection.

“It’s not fair food,” Jones said. “It’s really a visual and culinary delight. It’s something that people can enjoy during the festival as part of the festival instead of just, ‘Let’s get some food.’”

A Kids Art Alley will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Six hands-on art stations will be available with the purchase of tickets -- $5 will grant access to all areas. Children will be able to make magic wands, shell boxes, thump-print art, pottery, colored sand art with bottles, and collage designs with buttons, beads and bows.

There will also be a “jellyfish parade,” where children will have a ticket-based opportunity to make their own jellyfish using umbrellas and fabrics for tendrils and parade through the festival grounds.

Representatives from the Gulf Coast Zoo and Gulf State Park nature center will also be on hand with some furry friends.

“We just want everyone to come out and have a great time,” Jones said. “It’s supposed to be beautiful weather this weekend. The festival is completely free so you can just come out and enjoy the gorgeous weather and hopefully get some beautiful art experience and some hands-on fun for the kids, too.”

No public parking is available at the site, so festivalgoers are encouraged to park at The Wharf and take a BRATS shuttle to the festival. The cost of the shuttle is $2 each way.